Bilingual Staff Attorney (General Intake Unit)

Description

SUMMARY:

Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP) seeks a full-time bilingual Staff Attorney to work in the General Intake Unit as part of our Seattle office. Applicants must be fluent in English and Spanish, and additional languages are encouraged. The applicant must be able to start the position as soon as possible. A minimum two-year commitment to the position is expected.

As a staff attorney, you will offer direct representation, individual consultations, and community outreach and education to immigrant community members seeking immigration protections before the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and immigration courts. You may also handle additional immigration matters, including cases involving individuals in immigration detention.

NWIRP's General Intake (GI) Unit supports members of Washington's immigrant communities who might otherwise be unable to access NWIRP's legal services due to organizational capacity limitations. The GI Unit conducts comprehensive intakes and case assessments, provides legal advice and assistance, and refers individuals to other NWIRP units when appropriate. The Unit serves as the primary point of contact for community members who are not current NWIRP clients but seek assistance at the NWIRP-Seattle Office with an urgent legal matter or question.

Additionally, the GI Unit currently focuses on assisting community members with submitting various forms of relief before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). These include, but are not limited to, Form I-765 applications to renew employment authorization under various eligibility categories; Form I-90 applications to renew Permanent Resident Cards; Form I-485 applications to adjust status to lawful permanent residence; and Form I-821 applications to obtain or renew Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for individuals who remain eligible.

The GI Unit seeks to expand its services by hiring a staff attorney to assist community members with the forms of relief described above, as well as additional forms of affirmative immigration relief before USCIS and defensive forms of relief for individuals in removal proceedings before the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR).

RESPONSIBILITIES:

All NWIRP staff attorneys are expected to:

• Provide direct representation to individuals in removal proceedings before the Immigration Court, on appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals or before the federal courts, and before the Department of Homeland Security;
• Provide direct representation to persons submitting affirmative applications with USCIS and the Department of State;
• Conduct presentations, workshops, legal clinics, and intakes, by phone and in person;
• Conduct case analysis to determine eligibility for immigration protections/status under the immigration laws;
• Maintain a working knowledge of significant policies, laws, practices, and trends in immigration law, particularly as it impacts low-income immigrants and those impacted by the criminal justice system;
• Establish, organize, and maintain files up to date;
• Perform administrative tasks related to grant reporting such as timekeeping, submitting timesheets, tracking training, and other duties in a timely manner;
• Participate in NWIRP's outreach, community education, and development efforts; and,
• Perform other tasks and responsibilities assigned by supervisory staff depending upon NWIRP's needs.

SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS:

• Law degree;
• Admission to the bar of any state in the U.S.;
• Demonstrated commitment to immigrant rights and eagerness to support NWIRP's mission, vision and values;
• Excellent writing, communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills;
• Ability to provide trauma-informed and culturally-inclusive legal representation;
• Commitment to creating a welcoming, professional, and inclusive environment for staff and clients, and to working with a diverse community in a challenging environment;
• Fluency in in English and Spanish, and additional languages are encouraged;
• Strong ability to work independently, as well as in a team environment;
• Proficiency in use of web-based software, Microsoft Office applications (including Word and Excel), and web peer-to-peer communication platforms; familiarity with G-suite tools (Google Docs, Google Sheets and Gmail);
• Prior immigration law and removal experience preferred;
• Prior experience working with survivors of domestic violence or sexual assault is preferred;
• Experience handling a high-volume caseload preferred;
• Sound judgment and decision-making skills;
• Strong organizational skills;
• Ability to take on a substantive caseload, and;
• The applicant must have a valid driver's license as the position involves some travel.

Physical demands: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, stand and walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; talk and hear; utilize a phone, computer, keyboard, pen, and paper. Occasional work on night and weekend hours. Travel may be required. Travel reimbursements apply.

Emotional demands: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to discuss topics including, but not limited, to discrimination; child abuse, neglect, abandonment; domestic abuse; violence, and psychological trauma. Occasional work in a detention center environment.

The anticipated hours of work are Monday - Friday, 9 am - 5 pm, with a 30 - 60 minute unpaid lunch, but occasional evening and weekend work hours may be required.

At the time of this posting, NWIRP staff is operating in a hybrid model, and some in-office work will be expected of this position (at least two full days per week).

BENEFITS AND COMPENSATION:

This is an exempt, salaried position, and the minimum annual salary for candidates awaiting admission to the Bar is currently $84,508.11. Candidates with no relevant experience, but admitted to the Bar, qualify for an annual salary of $87,362.92. Salaries increase for staff attorneys with specific experience. For example, candidates with 20 years of relevant experience will earn $127,560.20 annually, and the current maximum salary, based on 40 years of experience, is $155,214.80 annually.

NWIRP is proud to be a unionized employer, and this full-time position is covered by NWIRP's Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). NWIRP offers a generous benefits package, which currently includes:

• Fully paid health, vision and dental plans for employee-level coverage with employer-funded HRA and HSA options;
• FSA and Dependent Care accounts;
• Automatic, employer contribution of 3% to 403(b) retirement plan;
• Generous paid health-related leave (12 days per year);
• Generous paid vacation (15 days during your first year);
• 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 6 months of employment, plus the ability to extend with State-paid leave;
• 14 paid Holidays with the ability to float 5 holidays;
• Employer-paid disability, life, AD&D and long-term care insurance;
• 4 weeks of paid sabbatical after every five years of employment at NWIRP;
• Eligibility to earn compensatory time;
• Opportunities for paid professional development;
• New employees may be eligible for a relocation bonus, per the CBA; and,
• Subsidized transit pass is available for the Seattle office.

NWIRP is an eligible employer under the Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.

REPORTS TO:

Deputy Director

TO APPLY:

Please upload a single-file document on our Careers Page containing your cover letter, resume, and a list of (3) references.

In your cover letter, please address the following:

1. How your personal or professional experiences make you a strong candidate for this role, and;
2. What challenges you recognize as barriers to providing legal advocacy to immigrant community members.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled.